in C&EN

With a week to go until Halloween, it’s time to get carving pumpkins! Before you do, check out this graphic on the chemistry of pumpkins I made for C&EN last year. Stay tuned for more Halloween-related chemistry over the coming week!

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Struktur, Additive und Verunreinigungen

Man könnte Ihnen verzeihen, wenn Sie denken, dass es nicht viel Interessantes über die Chemie des Wodkas gibt. Ist es nicht im Grunde genommen nur eine Mischung aus zwei Verbindungen, Ethanol und Wasser? Obwohl dies so ziemlich der Fall ist, gibt es mehr zu Wodka, als Sie vielleicht erwarten. ...

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The Chemistry of Coriander

I wasn’t aware of this until recently, being a fan of coriander myself, but apparently there are quite a few people for whom coriander (referred to as cilantro in the US)has a rather unpleasant soapy, or even metallic, taste. The cause of this has its roots in the chemical composition of ...

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Food, Cosmetics & Explosives

Look on the ingredients label of many different cosmetic or personal care products, and glycerol (often also called glycerin or glycerine) is commonly present. It’s also found in a variety of food products, as well as in some pharmaceutical products, so what’s the reason for its ...

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Colour, Aroma, & Explosions

Watermelons are a popular, refreshing summer fruit. There’s also a lot of intriguing chemistry behind them, from the colour of their flesh and the complexity of their aroma, to the tales of explodingwatermelons in China, and even the claims that they can have a viagra-like effect. This post ...

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Aroma, Colour, & Toxicity

In late May and early June, the winding pathways of the English countryside arefestooned with the delicatewhite blooms of the elderflower. As the end of the summer eventually arrives, these blooms will have been transformed, and the bushes will be heaving under the weight of clusters of ...

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The second in the ‘Aroma Chemistry’ series, this graphic examinesthe smell of fresh-cut grass. This is oft-mentioned when discussions of favourite smells come up, so what are the chemical compounds behind it? Grassemits volatile organic compounds normally, even without being cut. Research has ...

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Ever wondered what compounds help kitchen cleaners keep your kitchen surfaces bacteria free? Or about the compounds that help antiseptic creams do their job? In this graphic, we take a look at some of the compounds used for antisepsis and disinfection, and where they’re commonly used.

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A functional group in chemistry is the part of the molecule that gives it its particular reactivity; simple molecules that contain the same functional group in their structure can be expected to react in similar ways. More complicated chemical molecules may contain more than one functional group ...

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Today’s post is a quick one with a look at alcohol oxidation reactions. This graphic tries to provide a basic summary of the reagents used, equipment required, and ways of identifying the products formed. A prominence is given to sodium and potassium dichromate as oxidising agents, despite the ...

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